New tool can help diagnose breast cancer

Although breast cancer is among the most common form of cancer among woman, it is possible to treat the cancer and survive. However, some patients in New York and elsewhere have lesions that are hard to detect, which can make it harder to treat in time. A project called MAMMA is turning to computers to help find those lesions and obtain positive outcomes for patients.

Tumors that are hardest to detect are difficult to distinguish from background tissue. By using MAMMA software, it may be possible for doctors to properly detect these lesions and determine whether they are benign or malignant. The software uses both spatiotemporal descriptors and radiomics to get more information about the tumor. According to researchers, this is superior to the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System descriptors that are commonly used today.

With a more precise diagnostic tool, patients won't experience as much anxiety or receive excessive amounts of treatment. In addition to giving radiologists the opportunity to better determine if a tumor exists, it can make it possible to develop specific treatment plans. These plans can be created based on the type of tumor a patient has and the needs of the patient. It is believed that MAMMA technology may next be used to help patients with prostate or other forms of cancer.

The failure to diagnose cancer in a timely manner could be an example of medical malpractice. This could be true if a doctor failed to perform a test or failed to interpret it correctly. An attorney may review what a medical professional both did and didn't do in an effort to help a patient. If a medical professional was negligent in his or her failure to diagnose, a victim may be entitled to compensation.